(1) Field of the Invention
(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
Laser radiation generated by at least one laser as an excitation beam is guided in confocal laser scanning microscopes (LSM) via a scanner, scanning optics and a tube lens and is focused in a sample under investigation by means of an objective with limited diffraction. Because of interaction of the excitation beam with the sample or preparation, emitted fluorescence radiation goes via the scanner to a dichoroic beam splitter, which directs the fluorescence radiation into a detection beam path separately from the excitation radiation. The fluorescence radiation is then focused on a confocal diaphragm in the form of a pinhole, which is arranged in the detection beam path in a plane conjugated to the focal plane. After passing through a block filter to further suppress the excitation radiation, the fluorescence radiation is measured by means of a photomultiplier (PMT).
Due to the number of components, a variety of performance tests and calibration tasks exist in laser scanning microscopes that are of enormous significance during manufacture and for users. Consequently, there is the problematic task of managing the variety of performance tests and/or calibration tasks with simple means in time-saving fashion.